In Sickness and In Health
by Chelse30
Summary: After an accident threatens Snow White's happy ending, Emma and David must help her find her way back to their family.
1. Chapter 1

_AN: Hi all! Haven't posted a story since...last summer...yeah. Anyway, this just came to me last night when trying to fall asleep so, it may actually be a terrible idea, but I'll let you all be the judge of it. Hoping to have the next chapter up within the week. No beta, so all mistakes are mine. Not entirely sure when this is set, but will have SnowQueen friendship, so take that as you will._

_I own nothing but a replica of Snow's ring, a circle necklace and red leather jacket like Emma, and a season 2 cast poster._

* * *

They'd done this a thousand times. It rarely changed, and if it ever did, it was always for the better.

Snow would meet him at the station, they would walk over to Granny's, and then depending on their mood either grab a bite to eat or just get a hot chocolate to go. Nothing special, but it was special to them. On days when Emma would join them from the station, they would eat together and enjoy each other's company.

Today should have been no different.

* * *

When she and David left the station it was only drizzling. Instead of chancing it with the weather, they decided to drive the short distance to Granny's. Snow was messing around with the radio, trying to find something through the static, when David abruptly grabbed her hand and pulled her in for a kiss.

"Charming," Snow chastised, pushing herself away from him and slapping him on the arm, "you're driving, eyes on the road!" He only smiled in response before quickly placing another kiss on her cheek. She rolled her eyes and turned to look out the window.

As the light ahead turned green, David pressed on the gas the same time Snow could hear tires squealing in the distance.

* * *

Glancing down at her ringing phone, Emma resisted the urge to roll her eyes upon noticing the caller.

"I'm almost done! I 'll be there in-"

"Emma! Something's happened. You need to get to the hospital now." David's voice was rushed and she could hear people yelling being him.

"What? What happened?" She was already rising to her feet, hands fumbling around her desk trying to find the keys. "What's going on?"

"We got in an accident. I'm fine but your mother is being rushed into surgery. I'll tell you everything when you get here, but I have to go."

"Wait, David, I-" The line went dead. Staring at her phone dumbly, Emma shook herself and sprinted out the door.

* * *

Rushing through the ER doors, Emma whipped around trying to find her father. The room was a flurry of nurses and patients, but she still couldn't find him anywhere.

"Emma!" She turned around and was immediately pulled into a hug. Instinctively, she hugged him back before pushing him away, gripping his arms.

"What happened? Where's Mary Margaret? What's going on?!" David pulled her over to a pair of secluded chairs, gently pushing her in one before taking the seat next to it.

"We got into a car accident. It seemed that the other driver couldn't see the lights because of the rain and ran right through the red, slamming into the side of the truck. The bed took most of the force, but the back of the other car swung back around and hit the cab, right where Snow was sitting. When I looked over, she was slumped over and…and…there was blood…and I just-" Emma gripped his hands tighter while he worked to steady his breathing. "Emma, I didn't know what to do. We were only a block away from the hospital so I just drove here, but something else could have happened or-"

"No, no, David you did good. Yes, you probably should have called for an ambulance, but it's ok. It's going to be ok. Have you been checked over? Has a doctor or nurse told you what's happening?" Emma was trying to keep her voice light and comforting knowing that she couldn't panic in front of David, but all she wanted was to find someone and demand they tell her what was happening to her mother, hospital rules be damned.

David shook his head, running a hand through his hair. Biting out a hiss of pain, he pulled his hand away to find the palm bleeding. Glancing back at Emma, he gave her a smile that even he could tell was more of a grimace. "I'm fine, probably just glass from the windows stuck in my hair. I'll have a nurse check me over if it makes you feel better." Emma only nodded, distracted by the blood shining on his hand.

"You go get checked up," she said, nodding towards the nurses' station while reaching into her pocket. "I'm gonna call Henry and let him know what's happening." David gave her an actual, albeit small, smile before nodding his head and patting her knee with his other hand. After he finally walked away, Emma lets her head fall in her hands and just breathes.

* * *

After being checked over and a few scrapes and cuts taken care of, David sat back down next to his daughter, whose head was still buried in her hands. He rests his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"Hey, did you call Henry?" He removes his hand as she sits up and has to restrain himself from pulling her into a hug when seeing her puffy eyes.

" Oh, right," she mumbles while trying to scrub away evidence of her crying, "Henry. No…no…right, I'll call him now." She stands up and walks away, and David leans his head back against he wall and shuts his eyes.

His mind is a rush of everything and it takes him a few moments to realize someone is talking to him. Snapping his eyes open, he sees Dr. Whale standing a few feet away.

"What's happened? How's my wife?"

"She's doing alright," the doctor answers, wringing his hands together, "the surgery went well and she should make a full recovery. Of course she'll have to stay here a few days just to make sure, but other than that, she'll be fine."

David let out a breath and couldn't stop the small smile when he spotted Emma walking towards them. "She's going to be ok. Snow's going to be ok." Again, he automatically pulls Emma into a hug and is relieved to feel her hugging back just as tightly.

Pulling apart, Emma wipes at the few stray tears on her face and laughs with relief. "I got a hold of Henry; he's going to be here soon." Turning towards to the doctor, she asks, "Can we see her?"

"Not just yet, but soon. I'll have one of the nurses come get you when she is put in a room."

David and Emma give him their thanks, and then re-take their seats, waiting for Henry to arrive.

Not even ten minutes later, the young boy runs into the room, drenched to the bone, his face a mixture of fear and worry.

"Emma! Gramps!" He runs towards them, shoes squeaking to a stop in front of them. "How's Grams? Is she going to be ok?"

"She's going to be just fine, Henry," David says pulling up a chair for Henry to sit in. "The doctor came and told us the surgery went well and we will be able to see her soon." Henry breathed a sigh of relief and slumped back in the chair.

"Good, good."

Emma smiled, the love her son had for his grandparents always filling her with a sense of warmth. "How about I get us all something to drink? It could be a while, and, kid, you look like you jumped into the ocean."

* * *

It was about an hour later before a nurse finally approached them, leading them to where Snow was placed. Not entirely knowing what to expect, David was relieved to see only a splint around his wife's right leg and a small bandage taped to the side of her face. As they had walked to the room, the nurse had informed him and Emma that the surgery was to remove a piece of metal that had been lodged into her side. Because of the anesthesia, it would be a time before she woke up, but they shouldn't worry; all the worst was behind them.

Taking a seat beside the bed, David carefully wrapped his hand around Snow's, lifted it to his lips, and placed a gentle kiss to the knuckles. Carefully laying her hand back to the bed, he keeps his hand on hers and lets his thumb gently caress her skin. He looked over to the other side of the bed to see Henry leaning into Emma's side, and Emma gently holding her mother's hand. Perhaps feeling his gaze on her, she looked up and smiled back before looking back towards Snow, slight pain evident in her eyes. David himself gazed back at his wife, allowing the emotion of the day to finally was over him.

His wife was alive.

* * *

Later that night, Mary Margaret began to feel….something. She tried to move but everything felt stiff. She could feel something holding her hand and something else slowly making its way up and down her arm. She tried to speak out but found her throat to be extremely dry. Somehow finding the energy, she cracked her eyes open and could see someone sitting beside her.

"Emma?" she croaked quietly, testing her voice and opening her eyes further. "Henry? What-? Where am I?"

"Mary Margaret," Emma gasped, a smile lighting her face," you're in the hospital. Do you remember what happened?"

"I remember being in a car…" she said, wracking her brain for anything that seemed familiar.

"That's right, you were in a car accident with David," Emma agreed angling her head to the other side of the bed. Mary Margaret gently turned her head till she saw the other occupant in the room. Her eyes lit up, and she pulled her arm away from the caress that she now knew came from him.

"You?" Her voice a blend of confusion and worry.

"Of course me," the fair-haired man said, amusement covering his face. "Who else would it be?"

"But how? How are you awake?"

"Awake?" He asks, now genuinely confused. "Snow, I was never unconscious," His voice dipping into a question.

"Yes! You're….you're…you've…you've been in a coma. You're supposed to be in a coma."


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: I am so super-duper sorry that I didn't actually update this a week later. The muse I had promptly left me and nothing has come about until today when I sat in a car for 9 hours so, hey, win some lose some. Again all mistakes are my own and I hope you enjoy! Some parts may seem rushed or unexplained...just go along with it :) _

_Also to the Guest reviewer who asked about baby Neal...sadly I will not be having him in this story. I do whole-heartedly agree he is as important as Emma and Henry, but this being my first story outside of the Enchanted Forrest, I'm not quite up to that challenge yet, and also I'm not comfortable basically "creating" a character since he is but a newborn on the show whom we've seen basically nothing of. Hope you understand! _

_I own nothing but a giant wall collage filled with pics of Snowing._

* * *

David sat in the waiting room, head buried in his hands. His wife had woken up from her surgery almost an hour ago but he had been immediately sent out when it became clear she had no memory of who he was. Since then Dr. Whale had been administrating some tests and Emma was there to lend some moral support.

"Gramps?" David looked up from his hands to see his grandson holding out a cup of coffee for him.

"Thanks Henry." He took the cup and gulped half it down. Henry sat down next to him, sinking into the chair, staring at the wall.

"Is Grams gonna be ok?" It was said so quietly David thought he imagined it. Sighing and leaning back in his own chair, he took another sip of coffee before resting the cup on his armrest.

"I don't know, kid. Hopefully Whale finishes with the tests soon and he can tell us what's going on. Till then we just have to stay hopeful." Looking over at his grandson, David could see the same sense of worry he knew was radiating off himself.

* * *

Emma sat in the corner of the room listening as Dr. Whale asked her mother a bunch of questions. By the look on the doctor's face, she could tell he was getting more and more worried after each the questions.

"What is the last thing you remember before the accident, Mary Margaret?" Emma had heard Whale ask this question several times over the past hour, but Mary Margaret had never been able to give an answer.

"I…I really don't know…I'm sorry. Everything is such a blur," she replied, her own face twisting in worry, glancing over at Emma before looking back at the doctor.

"Do you know who she is?" Dr. Whale asked gesturing towards Emma.

"Yes, that's Henry's mother. She arrived in town a few days ago…oh!" Both Emma and Whale looked eager at Mary Margaret's sudden outburst. "She came by my apartment to drop off money to pay me back for bailing her out of jail!"

Emma couldn't have stopped her mouth from dropping. That happened a year ago. How was that possible? How could her memory be that messed up?

"Is that…is that the last thing you remember?" Dr. Whale asked again, hoping beyond hope something would click inside his patient's head.

"Yes," she replied, suddenly not looking as excited at remembering something as she was before. She could see the disappointment on both of their faces even though they tried to mask it well. Despair settled in her gut.

_Something's not right_ she thought to herself.

"Alright. We'll let you rest. I'll send a nurse in to check on you in a little bit." Whale motioned for Emma to follow him out of the room. Emma glanced over at Mary Margaret and gave her a small smile seeing how anxious she looked.

"I'm going to grab something to drink. Would you like anything?" At the shake of her mother's head, Emma nodded and quietly slipped out the room, and headed towards the waiting room.

As she approached she could hear her father's voice anxiously questioning Dr. Whale. When she rounded the corner, David had stood from his seat, and she noticed an empty cup knocked to the floor. Henry was still sitting, but his attention was locked onto the doctor.

"Physically she is doing well, but her memory…it's not good."

"Not good? What the hell does that mean?" David spat, not in the mood to deal with the sometimes-incompetent doctor.

"When she hit her head-"

"It means," Emma interrupted, knowing David was seconds away from harming the man, "that she doesn't remember anything that has happened since I first came to Storybrooke two years ago. When Henry first brought me here."

"Well, then, how do we fix that?" David shot at the doctor, trying not to let his emotions get the better of him. "We can't just tell her everything and hope for the best, can we?"

"No," Whale agreed, shaking his head, "we need to find something to trigger her memories, but we can't overwhelm her and try to make everything come back at once." At this, he directed towards David, a rather pointed look on his face.

"And what, pray tell, does that mean?" David replied hotly crossing his arms, not liking what the doctor was implying.

"David, I think he means we can't just go straight to making her remember being Snow. She needs to remember Mary Margaret's life, and then we'll work on everything else."

"If you believe I'm just going to sit around waiting for my wife to remember her cursed self and not do _anything_-" David rounded on Dr. Whale loudly. Before he could continue his thought, Emma grabbed his arm and turned him back to face her. Upon seeing his daughter's silent pleas for patience, he took a deep breath and turned back to the doctor.

"Alright, Whale. What do we do?"

* * *

Mary Margaret was sitting in her room, staring blindly out the window when she heard a small knock on the door.

"Come in," she replied quietly, silently praying it wasn't Dr. Whale again. She wasn't sure why, but he gave her the creeps. When Henry's head popped around the door she let out a relieved sigh.

"Hi Gr-Ms. Blanchard." Gramps and Emma told him that for now he'd have to stop calling her 'Grams' but he didn't know how easy that was going to be. Over the past few months he'd gotten used to addressing her as such.

When he hadn't moved but a few steps in the room, Mary Margaret beckoned him closer.

"It's ok, Henry. You can come in." She watched as he slowly walked towards her, confused, as she was used to the bright, bubbly boy he usually was. A part of her craved to pull him in her arms and hug him tightly, but she held back, not sure where the feeling came from.

"I'm glad you are doing better, Ms. Blanchard," he said quietly, settling into a chair next to her bed. After Dr. Whale had told Gramps and Emma what they were going to do to try and help Mary Margaret, he took it upon himself to see if he could bring back his grandmother's memories. Gramps had been almost unresponsive after they were told they needed to get Grams curse memories back, the pain unmistakable on his face. With Emma's permission to visit with Mary Margaret for a while, he trudged down the hospital corridor, not entirely sure what to expect.

Mary Margaret smiled at him. "Thank you, Henry. And thank you for coming to visit me, though I'm surprised your mom let you come alone."

"Mom's in the waiting room with David," he replied nonchalantly, not remembering what Dr. Whale and Emma had told him.

Mary Margaret stiffened.

"Mayor Mills is here?" she asked, her voice slightly nervous, choosing to ignore the name David for a moment. _Why did that name sound familiar?_

Henry winced. Oh. Right. She doesn't remember.

"Oh, um, I meant Emma," he replied awkwardly, staring at his hands.

"Oh!" Mary Margaret's eyes grew wide, eyebrows flying to her forehead. "When did you start calling Emma 'mom'?" She noticed how her pupil shifted uncomfortably in her seat, but couldn't place why Henry calling Emma his mother made her fill with happiness and a sense of warmth.

"Oh, you know…it's a recent thing, I guess." He remarked, still not looking at her.

Before either could saying something more, there was another tentative knock at the door before it opened.

"Hi, sorry to interrupt," Emma started, peeking around the door, throwing a smile at the pair, "but Henry, David is going to take you to Granny's to grab a bite to eat while Ms. Blanchard here undergoes a few more tests." She winked at Mary Margaret before glancing back at her son.

"Ok," Henry replied, rising from his chair. "Feel better, Ms. Blanchard."

"Thank you, Henry," Mary Margaret said, reaching for his hand and squeezing it gently. Once she let go, he left the room and walked back towards the waiting room.

"Sorry about that," Emma murmured, closing the door behind her. "He's been really worried about you, and one of the nurses said it would be ok if he came to visit…"

"Oh, no! That's totally fine. I could use the company." Mary Margaret answered pleasantly. "So, I have more tests?"

"Not really, " Emma laughed. "I just needed to talk to you and the idea of food is pretty much the only way to get Henry to do anything." Mary Margaret chuckled, ignoring a nagging sensation in the back of her mind. _How did Emma know that if she's only known Henry for a few days? And David was brought up again…who was he? The mysterious supposed-to-be-in-a-coma man sitting beside her bed when she woke up earlier?_

"Emma?"

"Hm?"

Mary Margaret bit her lip, debating whether or not to voice her question. At Emma's inquiring look, she breathed out, "I have memory loss, don't I?" Emma's once laughing gaze turned crestfallen. "I saw the way you and Dr. Whale looked when I was answering those questions. And when I try to think about something, _anything_ that has happened the last few days it just comes up as a blank, like a giant hole is missing from my brain."

Emma remained silent for a few more moments, wondering how she was supposed to tell her friend, her _mother_, that she didn't remember her own family. Her loving husband who was barely holding it together knowing there was nothing he could do, her grandson who just wanted his grandmother back, and her daughter…her daughter who didn't want to lose her mother again, so soon after finding her.

"Yes, Mary Margaret. You have memory loss. But I swear," Emma blinked back tears, willing her voice not to break, "I swear we're going to help you get them back."


End file.
